Lyman Beecher

Born: October 12, 1775 in New Haven, Conneticut

Died: January 10, 1863 in Brooklyn, New YorkTime Period Focused: 1810-1840..
Criticisms of American Society
Lyman Beecher had no problem labling people such as adulterers and drunkards or Deists.he was a closed minded minister who fought against the Unitarianism beliefs.
In 1830 Lyman started to think of the West as virgin territory for revival religions. It was his goal to show everybody the views of Presbyterians. He knew that the west was the key to the future. The west would be where people would go to. Lyman Beecher realized that Catholics and other infidels inhabitted the west but he wanted to change that. Another thing Beecher was big on was the whole temperance deal. He was also not a fan of the use of alcohol along with slavery.
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Methods to Improve American Life.
As a minister, Lyman Beecher had many sermons in which he advocated the importance of his relious views and his thoughts about temperance. In addition to preeching, Lyman Beecher wrote a couple of books that had his ideas in them. Along with him was his family of many people including his daughter Harriet Beecher Stowe. They helped spread Lyman's ideas as well.
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Successes
Lyman Beecher can be crdited for opening up many American's eyes. His influence on slavery inspired is daughter, Harriet, to write the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin. If nothing else, some of his legacy lived on through his blood line.
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Practical Goals
Everyone from this time period was just like Lyman Beecher. They all wanted to be heard and have their ideas used amongst all the country. It was not unheard of to try and change people's beliefs and religion. Lyman Beecher was just another person trying to get their word out.
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Government Help
The government would not have been able to do much about Lyman beecher's goals. Slavery laws were already trying to be settled and relgion was not in the power of the Government. Lyman Beecher did all that he could by preeching his thoughts and trying to be heard.
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References
Harriet Beecher Stowe- Daughter of Lyman Beecher, she had many of the same thoughts as her dad. She kept his ideas going by producing quality work such as Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Joshua Lacy Wilson- Fellow Pastor. Wilson was the first Presbiterian pastor. He too had the religious views that Lyman possessed.
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Works Cited
"The Beecher Tradition : Lyman Beecher." Baruch College | Newman Library Home. Newman, 2011. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/2001/beecher/lyman.htm.

"Lyman Beecher." NNDB: Tracking the Entire World. Soylent Communications, 2011. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. http://www.nndb.com/people/095/000100792/.

Backes, Matthew W. "Lyman Beecher and the Problem of Religious Pluralism in the Early American Republic by Matthew Backes." American Religious Experience at WVU. Columbia University, 30 Nov. 1999. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. http://are.as.wvu.edu/backes.htm.